Right-hander signed through 2025, with three club options

March 29th, 2021

FT. MYERS, FL — The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have signed right-handed pitcher Randy Dobnak to a five-year contract extension through 2025, with three club options for 2026, 2027 and 2028. The new five-year deal is worth $9.25 million.

Dobnak, 26, went 6-4 with a 4.05 ERA (46.2 IP, 21 ER), 13 walks and 27 strikeouts in 10 starts in the shortened 2020 season. He matched Kenta Maeda for the team lead in wins and led all major league pitchers (min. 45.0 IP) with a 62.1 ground ball percentage. Dobnak also posted a career-best 13.0-inning scoreless streak from July 25-August 10, the longest run by a Twins pitcher last season, and won a career-best five consecutive starts from July 31-August 22.

The South Park, PA native was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in July 2017, after an unconventional path to affiliated baseball that took him through Division II Alderson-Broaddus University (WV), the independent United Shore Professional Baseball League, and a series of odd jobs that included working as an Uber driver and accounting clerk. The 2019 Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year made his major league debut on August 9, 2019 and began his career with a 9.0-inning scoreless streak. He finished the 2019 campaign by starting Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, becoming just the fourth rookie (6th occurrence) in club history to start a Postseason game.

In addition to his success on the field, Dobnak and his wife, Aerial, have been active in the community and avid supporters of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital since his arrival in the majors, raising thousands for the organization in under two years. When their wedding registry went viral in 2019, the couple added a donation link which drew contributions from fans around Twins Territory. They also joined forces with Great Lakes Bat Co. in August 2020, selling a specially-designed t-shirt, raising $25,000.

COURTESY MINNESOTA TWINS & MLBpressbox.com